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Immigration > Business > Business Visitor Visa (B-1)
Overview |
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Application Procedure
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Overview Applicants for visitor visas must show that they qualify under provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Presumption in the law is that every visitor visa applicant is an intending immigrant. Hence the applicants for visitor visas must overcome this presumption by demonstrating that the trip is for a specific period and that the purpose of their trip is business, pleasure, or medical treatment. The consular or immigration official will look at the applicant's ties with the foreign country to determine whether the applicant will return to the foreign domicile at the end of the trip. Such ties would include employment abroad, family, property, or other business or social connections with the foreign country. The applicant must also establish that he or she has adequate funds to cover the expenses of the expected stay in the United States. Most businesspersons entering the United States enter with B-1 visas. The visa is issued by a US consul abroad. It may be issued for varying periods of time and for single or multiple entries. But the immigration service at a US border point may grant different period of time depending on the purpose of the visit. Alien may request the immigration service to extend the period of time if he or she needs additional time to accomplish the purpose of the trip, before the expiration of the current visa. But the extension of stay cannot exceed a total stay of one year in the United States and the alien should have financial resources to support the stay.
The B-1 visa classification does not permit the applicant to be employed
and receive a salary in the US.
Visa Waiver Pilot Program:
If you are coming to the U.S. for tourism or business for less than 90
days and you are from a 'qualified country', you may be eligible to visit
the U.S. without a visa.
Countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program are: Andorra,
Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany,
Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the
Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore,
Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Uruguay.
You can apply at your designated US embassy or consulate abroad. You
need to pay US$45 application fee and submit completely filled Application
Form "DS156", passport with a validity date at least six months beyond
the applicant's intended period of stay in the United States and two photographs 1 and 1/2
inches square (37x37 mm) showing full face. If you are accompanied by relatives,
then file a separate visa application for each one of them. Special
expedited procedures are available at most consular offices for issuance
of a new visitor visa, if your passport contains a previously issued visitor visa.
The consulate may call you for an interview. You should demonstrate that
you are properly classifiable as visitors under U.S. law and show the
evidence of the purpose of the trip, intent to depart from the United
States, and arrangements made to cover the costs of the trip. You may submit a letter from your employer or specific organization
attesting to the purpose of your trip in the
US, the intended length of stay and the companies' intent to defray travel
costs. To prove your intent to return to your home country, you may
include your real estate statements or letters from your employer.
A Visitor Tourist
Visa may be granted at the same time (stamped B-1/B-2 on your passport).
You may be granted multiple entries for usually a period of 10 years. If
denied, you may have to provide additional evidence. If this is not the
case, there is no formal appeal process for this type of visa but you can
reapply.
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